Tag Archives: shapewear

Maternity Shapewear: Wrong Or Just?

Leonora EpsteinJune 23, 2010 //

Most of us wear shapewear to try to eliminate any hanging belly. But what if your pooch is something you really can’t get rid of? As in, you’re seven months pregnant and there is definitely a living person in there waiting to come out. Apparently, there’s quite a market for maternity shapewear. Take this getup by Blanqi, for example, an over-the-butt tank top shaper meant to smooth out lines. It also claims to lessen baby weight with its belly support and its “x-shaped back anchors and lifts reducing belly stress.” The question that remains: is it really necessary to wear shapewear when pregnant? Is it useless to try to make yourself seem slightly thinner when you’re obviously carrying? Or, have you tried pregnancy shapers and know them to make having a bun in the oven more comfortable (or more sexy in a dress)? Sound off in the comments below! [Bare Necessities] Keep reading »

We Tried It: ShaToBu, Calorie-Burning Shapewear

Leonora EpsteinJune 22, 2010 //

I’ll just come out and say it: I wear really ugly underwear. We’re talking, like, epic granny panties here. As a basic type of girl, I’m just not into the sexy thing, so a lot of the time I figure I might as well add some ugly on the inside by wearing some slimming underthings since it’s already bad enough. Unsurprisingly, my “lingerie” drawers are packed with Spanx and bodyshaping accessories. (OK, so I might have a bit of a body image issue as well. I’m a girl. What else is new? Sigh.) As someone who is already accustomed to hideous underwear, and who prefers the comfort of bed and TV to most physical activity, I was curious when I read about ShaToBu, the “calorie-burning” shaper that’s advertised as “the workout you wear.” ShaToBu might sounds like a Japanese delicacy, but it actually stands for shaping, toning, and burning. These underthings claim to burn calories with their resistance band-like construction, which makes your muscles work harder when you walk. I decided to give these babies a walk myself and here’s what I found… Keep reading »

Nip And Tuck Without Going Under The Knife

Yasmin ZarJune 9, 2010 //

Lately, it seems everywhere I turn I’m bombarded with images and stories of celebrity plastic surgery. I gawked at the TV incredulously as Heidi Montag revealed her plethora of cosmetic procedures to her flabbergasted mother on “The Hills.” I shook my head at the pages of coverage on Kate Hudson’s alleged boob job. Now, even Courtney Love has a new face?!?!

Our culture is obsessed with plastic surgery and it’s only getting worse. Women get “routine” liposuction and face lifts with the same nonchalance as going to the dentist for a cleaning. As my high school graduation present, my parents bought me a video camera; some of my classmates got new noses. On TV, you’re able to choose between a number of plastic surgery reality shows, and on the web, you can browse through before-and-after surgery pictures.

Obviously, we all want to look our best and be confident in our appearance. If you are one of the rare individuals who are absolutely satisfied with their entire physical form, then I salute you. For the rest of us, there are non-surgical ways to enhance and minimize areas that we are insecure about. After the jump, check out our five favorite ego-boosting quick fixes. Keep reading »

Walk It Off (Literally) In Fat-Burning Underwear

Leonora EpsteinMay 24, 2010 //

Losing weight is actually quite a simple mathematical equation. All you have to do is reduce your calorie intake, increase your energy output, or both. However, thanks to the powers of human imagination, a propensity towards laziness, and the invention of Oreo cookies, weight loss has become a rather complicated endeavor, but only of our own making. The latest miracle product? Wacoal’s fat-burning underwear, due out this fall. Yup, all you have to do is wear your panties and the pounds will magically shed … Keep reading »

Spanx To Celebs Like Beyonce, The Shapewear Market Is, Uh, Expanding

Leonora EpsteinApril 19, 2010 //

Shapewear: we used to call them granny panties. And maybe you still do (granny-chic is in now, anyhow), but tummy-tucking undies are no longer for the geriatric set. We’ve seen the signs coming for a while—first with the Spanx explosion (or implosion, if you will), and then with the underwear-as-outerwear trend that began coming down the runways. Now, reports WWD, the shapewear market is experiencing a huge rebirth, citing a growth in retail sales of over 10 percent in the last year. The real reason behind the fad? Celebrity fans (duh), but more specifically, Rihanna with her metallic corset costume, Beyoncé‘s gold bodysuits from her latest tour, and Lady Gaga‘s … well, Lady Gaga’s everything.

So, what about you? Have you been eschewing your lacy thongs for full-coverage knickers? [WWD] Keep reading »

Maxi-Spanx, Anyone?

Leonora EpsteinMarch 5, 2010 //

As if thigh-slimming Spanx weren’t embarrassing enough, the company now makes these torso-covering panties. The brief style comes attached to a panel of super-tight elastic material, which goes up so high it sits right under your boobs. Wonder if they’ll start making these with a bicycle-short cut … aw, hell, might as well just make a full-body Spanxsuit in that case. [Nitrolicious] Keep reading »

Dresses With Built-In Corset Shapewear Get Male “Pulses Racing”

Leonora EpsteinJanuary 12, 2010 //

Shapewear is a wonderful (yet uncomfortable) invention. But for many, it brings about the irreconcilable Bridget Jones dilemma. Wear tummy-tucking device to increase chances of getting laid, only to terrify your partner with enormous panties? Or opt for sexy underthings that let all your junk hang out, therefore, decreasing one’s chances of finding a mate? Now there’s a company called Asda making dresses with corset-like shapewear built in to the garment (allowing the wearer to opt for whatever underthings she pleases). The vintage-inspired designs claim to suck it all in and take off inches. Keep reading »

Fashion Test Drive: Assets Fantastic Firmer Mid-Thigh Short

Annika HarrisNovember 16, 2009 //

The other day I had on a sexy sweater-dress from Madewell. Well, it would have been really sexy if static hadn’t made it cling to my lace tights. By the time lunch rolled around, I was in dire need of a slip. But, you see, a slip isn’t something that’s easily found in this day and age, unless you hit up a department store. So, I wandered into Ann Taylor Loft, vaguely remembering their new line of shapewear and hoping that they had something like a slip. What I found was the Fantastic Firmer Mid-Thigh Short from the Assets line by Sarah Blakely.

Here’s what I discovered … Keep reading »

Do We Want To Show Off Our Fat Or Suck It In?

Nina CarboneJuly 16, 2009 //

The NY Times just can’t decide today—on the one hand, they are singing the virtues of embracing the chunk, on the other, they’re all over a new men’s “shapewear” line (aka girdles for men — MIRDLES!) that’s selling like hotcakes at Saks Fifth Avenue. Pick one and get behind it, Times editors! Are we fat and loving it or do we need another newfangled contraption to suck in our gut? Or… maybe it’s not that easy? Keep reading »

Sucking-Tummy-In-Panties Look A Little Less Scary With Lace

Jessica WakemanJune 17, 2009 //

Shapewear will never be the most attractive undergarments—cue Bridget Jones swatting away Daniel Cleaver from gawping at her control-top panties—but at least Spanx are making an effort to look less frumpy. Detailed with lacy designs and metallic lining, Spanx’s Haute Contour undergarments are actually pretty, which is practically unheard of for thigh-shapers and tummy-squeezers. The camisoles and thongs still look rather old-fashioned—but we wouldn’t fight Hugh Grant too hard from seeing them. [Spanx Haute Contour] Keep reading »